Disability | APD
Neurodivergence and Auditory Processing Disorder
“I Can’t Hear You!”
Ferris?… Ferris… FERRIS… FERRIS!
HEY!
Ever feel like you’re talking to a wall?
Screaming into the void?
Okay, that may be a little dramatic, but it can be frustrating. You call your child’s name, they’re right in front of you, yet they don’t respond.
This happens multiple times a day over here. My son is hyperlexic and he’s always got his nose in a book. He’s often so engrossed in what he’s reading, he’s oblivious to the world around him.
As parents, we sometimes get frustrated with our son when he’s reading and doesn’t acknowledge when we’re speaking to him, but we’ve come to recognize that it’s an auditory processing issue called “inattentional deafness”.
His information processing is maxed out with what he’s reading, so he’s unable to also process incoming information in that moment.
Teachers, parents, and coaches often complain about children not “listening” because they don’t immediately follow verbal directions, despite the fact that their hearing has been tested and is perfect.
